How myelin-producing brain cells affect white matter damage
Deciphering the mechanisms of glia development and white matter injury
The team is testing whether changing a protein called Daam2 can help the cells that make myelin repair white matter damage in people with white matter injury.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11262886 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Myelin is the fatty coating around nerve fibers that helps the brain and spinal cord send signals, and damage to myelin causes the problems seen in white matter injury. This project studies how a cell-signaling pathway called Wnt and a protein named Daam2 influence the growth and repair of the cells that make myelin, using laboratory cell studies and animal models while comparing findings to patterns observed in patients. Researchers will map how these signals change at different stages of myelin cell development and after injury to pinpoint when they help or hinder repair. That information could reveal specific molecular targets or time windows for future treatments to protect or rebuild myelin.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People who have white matter injury or related demyelinating conditions that involve loss or damage of myelin would be the most relevant candidates for future therapies informed by this work.
Not a fit: Patients with conditions that do not involve myelin or whose damage is long-standing and irreversible are unlikely to benefit directly from these findings in the near term.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new ways to promote remyelination and reduce neurological problems from white matter injury.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies targeting Wnt signaling have shown mixed results in preclinical models, and using Daam2 as a specific target is a newer, less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- Baylor College of Medicine — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lee, Hyun Kyoung — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Lee, Hyun Kyoung
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.